Aqua de Vida
by crystal.heart.12
Summary: Sequel to World's End. Both Sparrow and Barbossa are searching for the Fountain of Youth, bringing Elizabeth, Will and even Calypso into their whirpool quest for eternal life. But to what extent will they go to reach these cursed waters?
1. Chapter 1, 2 & 3

**This is my sequel to **_Pirates of the Caribbean: At_ _World's End_.** Just pointing out that I don't own any of the characters of Pirates of the Caribbean; they belong to Disney, Jerry Bruckheimer etc. **

**The Chapters are extremely short in the beginning (hence why I have squashed 3 onto one page) but they will get longer as time progresses. Reason being is that I'm trying to keep most of the characters in the story, even though they are in different places different times. **

**Also; some points;**

**1. Pintel and Ragetti are the two idiot pirates who stick together throughout the Pirates Trilogy. Ragetti has a wooden eye (well, not anymore since Barbossa burnt it wiht the other 9 pieces of 8 but o-well) and Pintel is that fatter one who accompanies him. Just letting u know so you don't get confused - they hardly mention their names in the movies**

**2. The Aqua de Vida is shown on the map the end of World's end and is also known as the 'Fountain of Youth' which Barbossa is looking for. I'm not sure if i got the spelling right, but I think Aqua de Vida is 'Fountain of Youth' in spanish...?? correct me if I'm wrong.**

**3. Please review!! I love reading them and will try and apply your comments to improve my story**

**so without further adieu, have fun reading ****!!**

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**Aqua de Vida (a.k.a Fountain of Youth)**

**Chapter 1; Mrs Turner is lost**

She looked out beyond the horizon as her silent tears reflected the last glow of sunset. Marriage was meant to be a bond, not a burden that would hold your heart captive for 10 years. Even though her husband had been the one who had to carve out his heart, she felt as though her own had been lost as well.

But then she remembered the heart in the chest.

"It's always belonged to you; will you take care of it?" he had said.

"Yes," she had replied before they endured their last kiss.

Would she ever see him again? Or would the raging seas consume him in body and soul…she could not tell. But his heart would always belong to her and she would take good care of it; for eternity.

_And so Miss Elizabeth Swann was no longer – but Elizabeth Turner would remain… to keep a weather eye on the horizon until the Captain of the Flying Dutchman returned… to spend his one day on land with the one person he loved and had missed for so long…_

**Chapter 2; The Aqua de Vida (Fountain of Youth)**

The children watched as the man tied up his dinghy to the small wharf and walked over to the village.

"Look at his tiny boat!" cried one of them as they all squealed with laughter. The man heard their laughter and turned around abruptly to look at the children and give them a death stare.

"That should shut their blubbery little mouths up" the man thought as he continued on his way to the village. As he came close to the small houses, one of the men working in a field came over to him. His eyes appraised the newcomer, scanning every bit of weathered clothing to the **P** burned onto the skin of his right hand and the strange ornaments tied to his long dreadlocked hair.

"Ah, if it isn't Jack Sparrow," the field-worker smirked, 'You've come to barter another trip off me have yer?"

Jack smiled as he remembered the time Barbossa mutinied and left him on a small island, only inhabited by the field-worker who visited the island occasionally to leave his precious rum supply there. The fieldworker (whose name was Geoffrey) had helped him get off the island, much to Barbossa's dismay.

"Geoffrey my good man," Jack began, "I am not bartering a trip off you, however, wish to barter something off you that would be barteringly good bartering for a barterer like you."

Geoffrey looked slightly confused, but Jack continued on his baffling little speech.

"It would seem, Geoffrey, that you are a knowledgeable man." Jack said as he momentarily looked about Geoffrey's clothing for any jewellery he could sneak away with him, "But – being a knowledgeable man – I imagine you know a little something about these waters and what makes them so _unusual_."

Jack smiled at the stunned man who looked at the ground, thinking about what to say.

"The Aqua de Viva," whispered Geoffrey, nervously twisting the corner of his shirt. He knew of those cursed waters beyond the island's mountains but had never heard of one who had succeeded in finding them or who had survived to tell the tale.

"Jack, would I be correct in saying that you would like to go on a little…shall we say…_adventure_ to try and find the Fountain of Youth?"

Jack smiled slyly and looked out towards the mountains.

"So Geoffrey, what valuable information may I barter from you?"

**Chapter 3; Aboard the Black Pearl**

Barbossa took the wheel as the sea turned black and the waves became wild.

"Captain Barbossa, would it not be a fine idea to turn back now that the weather has turned on us?" rasped Gibbs as he and the rest of the crew desperately heaved at the ropes trying to keep the sails upright as the waves crashed against the ship.

"Have yer not noticed Master Gibbs," yelled Barbossa, "The only time a pirate ever finds what he's looking for is when he actually _looks_ for it and doesn't go all wussy at the first sign of a bad cloud."

"Aye Captain," added Ragetti as the wind blew his eye patch off his face, "but in terms of bad clouds, there seems to be several. Doesn't that mean that we can turn back ... in accordance with the cloud rule?"

Barbossa ignored the wails and complaints of his crew and sailed the pearl right into the eye of the storm. Giving up now was not an option – if they stopped, they might loose all hope of finding Jack Sparrow.

"Barbossa – turn this ship around now!" screeched Pintel as a huge wave crashed on top of him. The ship's sails were soaking wet and the wooden floorboards were under water.

Barbossa swerved around, grabbing Pintel by the scruff of his shirt and looked him hard in the eyes.

"WHO is the captain of this ship?" Barbossa growled.

Pintel whimpered and tried to look down away from Barbossa, but it only made him clutch Pintel's neck harder, demanding an answer from him.

"You are the captain of the Black Pearl, Sir" Pintel whispered, leaning away from him as he prepared himself for the next blow.

Barbossa opened his mouth to yell at him again, but another huge wave hit the hull of the ship, knocking both him and everyone else on the ship onto the ground.

"MAN THE SHIP," Barbossa ordered, "I don't plan on dyin' today and neither be you. The _Aqua De Vida_ is near, I can feel it in me bones."

One of the crewmen fell from the height of the sails next to Barbossa. He groaned, sobbed and tried to clamber up Barbossa's leg crying out "MOMMY, MOMMY!"

Barbossa kicked him away, cussing as he realised that the small distraction had made him loose concentration of where he was steering the ship.

"YOU CURSED SEAWEED-FACE!" Barbossa yelled at the waves, "WHAT HARM DID WE BRING TO YOU! BE GONE WITH YOUR WATERY CURSES AND LET US PASS!"

"Oh, but you did bring harm to me. From the heart of the earth you brought me pain beyond all pain!" It was a loud, woman's voice, so frightening, but so familiar at the same time, "You locked me in single form. The pirates of the earth locked me in a human body, to struggle! And now I will lock you – to struggle!"

It was suddenly clear whose voice it was. Thick with a Jamaican accent, it rung with the fiery anger and hatred of the one woman Barbossa had hoped to never encounter again.

Barbossa looked to the sky and murmured one name; "Calypso."


	2. Chapter 4

**Aqua de Vida**

**this chapters is longer than others. please read and review :) thanks**

**Chapter 4; Knowledge and Crew**

Geoffrey led Jack over to his sea hut on top of the grassy sand dunes. Built from driftwood and rusty nails, Jack thought the hut resembled that of some of the shacks down at Tortuga, only this hut was lacking some of the fundamentals. No barrels of rum were put out the front, no pigs lived inside and there were no drunken pirates or wenches snoring at the front step. Apart from the first, none of these qualities bothered Jack much and he thought of the cottage as quite a comfortable home.

"I gotta tell you Geoffrey," Jack said, "I don't blame you for leavin' that island for this beauty. It be the first Princess Palace made from driftwood I've seen in years."

"I never lived on that island Jack," laughed Geoffrey, "You memory fadin' faster than mine!"

"Aye, is that so?" Jack chuckled, "But in that case, what are you doing here catching _fish_ for a living rather than selling grog out at Port Royal?"

"I abandoned my rum-trade years ago when Commodore Norrington stopped alcoholic beverage imports from outside Port Royal." Geoffrey sighed, climbing up the last of the stairs to his hut, "But no regrets! Years of my life here 'bin sweeter than any of my past 50."

"Norrington," Jack thought to himself, "Wonder what he's up to…"

"And here it is!" Geoffrey interrupted, proudly showing off his little hut "The beauty has been going for over 20 years and she's still goin' strong!"

He tried to wrench open the door. He tugged with two hands. Once, twice, three times.

SNAP!

The door had broken from it's hinges and Geoffrey now held it's rotten frame in his large hands. Jack stared at Geoffrey who then stared back bewildered.

"We all have our expiry dates, mate." Jack patted Geoffrey on the back, "I'm sure you can fix it. In the meantime though…"

Jack walked curiously into Geoffrey's house and inhaled a quiet gasp. Bookshelves laden with treasure maps and ancient books filled up most of the room except for a small bed crammed into a small corner. Jack stared at the books, his eyes drawn to them like a child to a colourful sweet. He let his feet carry him over to the books, though it seemed more like he was floating over in his drowsy state overcome with happiness. There he saw it; _pathway to the Aqua de Vida_. Heart pounding, he went over to pick up the golden brown map

A cold hand gripped Jack's shoulder.

"Wait a minute," Geoffrey murmured in Jacks ear, "I didn't give no permission for you to touch that."

"Touch what?" Jack said, trying to give a false impression of innocence. Not fooled, Geoffrey sighed and told Jack to stay put next to the wall while _he _went to gather the information.

"It ain't much, but I managed to barter some old books and maps off a passing merchant." Geoffrey spoke as he took out book after book, map after map from a shelf. "Burning with curiosity I was. Eternal life, waters which ran with liquid souls. When you consumed a soul, your soul became two souls and you would live two lives. Consume three souls and live a third."

Jack listened intently, leaning on the wall he had been ordered to stick by. Geoffrey had taken out at least 6 books and two maps; how long would it take to read all that?

"They say every cup of water contains one soul, one more life to live." Geoffrey sighed, "But somehow I don't know how they got this information. No man has made it to the _Aqua de Vida_ and lived to tell the tale. It's why I've been so reluctant to go find the water me-self you know? I have always been afraid of going alone and … not making it there. Besides, I am happy here…"

Geoffrey trailed off, mouth turned down into a slight frown.

"So you don't trust the books?" Jack interrupted his thoughts, pressing for more information. If the books were unreliable he would just leave now – there would be other ways of finding out how to get to the _Aqua de Vida_.

"No, no. I don't doubt their reliabilty." Geoffrey said, his eyes somewhere distant, "There is so much incredible detail in how to accomplish every step of the journey that I would doubt that it is false. I just wonder how the authors knew the information."

"Who's the author mate?"

"Li Feng. Captain Sao Feng's distant ancestor. You know the pirate lord from Sin…"

"Well then it's settled; it's reliable. Well…it's…more like _they're_." Jack interrupted Geoffrey with a sudden jolt of excitement which disappeared as he thought of the 6 books and 2 maps. "Geoffrey, how long does it take to read those books?"

Geoffrey grinned, a spot of cheekiness in his eyes.

"Well, only a year I suppose…"

"A year … I suppose I can deal with that!" Jack said slowly.

"But that is… a year reading 23 hours a day for 365 days." Geoffrey's grin grew huge. After seeing Jack's face, he burst out laughing.

"There, there Jack! No need to worry. If you're going to find the _Aqua de Vida_ then I'll definitely be coming with you." Geoffrey managed to gasp after his laughing fit settled down, "And I'll tell you everything you need to know. You don't need to worry."

Jack's forehead creased. The old man would slow things down to an extent that Jack wasn't sure if he could take it. But then again, there was no choice Jack thought grimly. He could not stand reading a book for a decade of his precious life – if things didn't go as planned, he would only have one life to live. Pressing his lips into a thin line, Jack turned to face Geoffrey.

"Geoffrey my good man," Jack inhaled as much oxygen as his lungs could muster before finishing, "I will sail with you to reach the _Aqua de Vida_. You will be my…chartman…information navigator….I DUNNO! But one thing must remain clear to you through out this trip; I, Captain Jack Sparrow, will be captaining this voyage. Not you, not some astronomical being in the stars and certainly not Hector Barbossa! Do you understand?"

Geoffrey considered this for a moment.

"Hector Barbossa?"

Jack sighed, "Do we have an agreement Geoffrey?"

"Yes." Geoffrey said simply.

"Well then, good." Jack was happy that he had for once gained some authority over his crew…no matter how small in number that crew was.

"Jack, you do realise we'll be needing a crew…and a ship." he glanced at the small dinghy.

"What part of this agreement concerns the size of my ship?" growled Jack.

"Grow up. You know that we'll be needing some back-up and my back means that I won't be much good at fighting against the curses protecting the Aqua de Vida."

"We haven't got much room for many back-ups. Dinghy's are sturdy but…"

"Ok then. Do you know one or two sailors that could be useful to us? We'll need a pirate-like, vicious personality. Someone who could kill…" Geoffrey thought for a minute for the one person who could avoid anything. It came to him. "Ah! Someone who could kill you Jack!" Geoffrey laughed. Who on earth could catch Jack sparrow let alone kill him?

"I know just the person." Jack sighed. It wouldn't be easy confronting this nightmare.

**please review**


	3. Chapter 5

**Aqua de Vida**

**Ok folks, here's the next chapter in the story. I have put two separate scenarios into the _same _chapter to avoid confusion (as per the requests of some of my lovely reviewers) BY THE WAY; reviewers I haven't forgotten you. Thank you for taking the time to write a little comment on my story - you make my day :)**

**on that note: if you happen to be reading this story please review! thank you!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Wake-up Call **

Barbossa woke up. Noticing that his face was pressed against unfamiliar wooden floorboards, it occurred to him that he was no longer on the Black Pearl. He slowly rolled over, swearing when his back protested from lying on hard floorboards all night. While carefully heaving himself up, he noticed a few things.

He was no longer in Calypso's maelstrom.

While this _wasn't_ the Black Pearl, it was definitely a ship.

Someone was looking at him.

"About time you woke up, Captain Barbossa."

The smooth voice came from behind him. While it wasn't threatening, it rang with a certain authoritative tone that could only come from a captain. If the Black Pearl had somehow been rescued, this was the man behind it. Barbossa wondered what had happened that night in the maelstrom. For some reason, everything had blanked out until this morning. These were certainly strange circumstances.

"You don't seem very talkative today," the voice noted. Barbossa groaned and turned to face whoever the voice was coming from.

The man he saw standing before him sent a shock down his spine – not just from utter disbelief, but pure horror. The man smiled wistfully.

"Didn't plan on seeing me again did you?" the man could sense the shock behind Barbossa's failing poker face. Apart from one particular person (whom he would not see for another 10 years) there was no-one who would receive this man's presence with anything other than dread.

Because the only time you would ever see this man would be when you were dead.

"Welcome aboard the Flying Dutchman," Will Turner gave Barbossa one last look in the eye, before turning again to take hold of the wheel.

Jack and Geoffrey were in the small dinghy, sailing over the waves in search of a particular person on a particular island.

"Which island is this again?" Geoffrey spoke in a monotonous manner. The boring nature of sailing was unbearable, especially when you were in a ship only capable of going one mile and hour.

"I don't know its name," Jack said matter of factly, "But it looks like a flat loaf of bread from the distance."

"Don't ALL islands look like flat loaves of bread in the distance?"

"No, not _all_ islands look like flat loaves of bread." It was the best answer Jack could think of. "Don't worry though, when I see it, I'll know it."

Geoffrey snorted.

"Don't you have any faith in me boy?" Jack exhaled loudly.

"No, actually I don't."

The little boat floated on for quite a long time. Every passing hour felt like a day and not once did they see land – excluding a sandbar that was only a few metres long. Finally, Jack saw something in the distance.

"Geoffrey!" Jack said excitedly, "I think we've found the jack pot!"

"It's about time!" Geoffrey got out his portable telescope and peered at the tiny speck. Jack enviously looked at Geoffrey's gadget; it was shiny. Jacks last telescope broke when he attempted to make it longer that Barbossa's. The futile attempt ended up breaking it, leaving Jack without any means of seeing where he was going. Finding Geoffrey's island had been risky and incredibly lucky for Sparrow.

"I like your portable telescope." Jack murmured, "It's shiny."

"Indeed it is shiny."

"I like shiny things."

"Good for you."

"You know, many people find shiny things attractive to one's vision."

"You have already illustrated that fact."

"I think that the shiny-ness of your telescope is very nice."

"I don't care."

"I like shiny things."

Geoffrey took his face from the telescope to glare at Jack.

"Well, if you're done with the _s-h-i-n-y_ telescope, why don't you go and make yourself useful." Jack said happily, "Start rowing the boat so we can go faster; the wind is too soft."

"Do it yourself." Geoffrey said with a thick edge of annoyance.

"I'm Captain of this ship," Jack said loudly, "Do what I say and give me your shiny telescope."

Geoffrey angrily threw the telescope at Jack and went off to row the boat. He did not like the former agreement he had made with Jack on the island.

"You know Jack," spit Geoffrey as he started pushing the oars, "captains who abuse their power often end up mutinied on islands."

Jack ignored Geoffrey and started humming a tune that Elizabeth had taught him when he was marooned with her.

"I'm thinking about taking a leaf out of Barbossa's book." Geoffrey muttered. Jack smiled at him and continued to sing, editing some of the words as he went.

"Yo-ho-ho and a s-h-i-n-y telescope." Jack was having fun annoying Geoffrey. And so Jack Sparrow and his lonesome crew of one person went slightly faster in the direction of a particular island that looked like a flat loaf of bread.

**did you like it?? did you not like it? Either way, please review. thanks!! **


	4. Chapter 6

_sorry I have taken so long to update. I've been busy, but hopefully this chapter will not dissapoint! Enjoy & please Review!_

**Chapter 6: Escape **

Barbossa was still in shock.

His quest for eternal life had ended in a depressingly shortened life. Now he was sailing aboard the Flying Dutchman in World's end, while Will Turner ferried him across to the next world.

But had it ended…completely? Barbossa looked up beyond the mast to the sunlight, seeping through the ship's darkened seaweed sails. No – there was always some light, some way to escape. He just had to work out a way to escape from this forsaken place. Calypso was not going to rescue him this time, nor was Will going to let him overturn his ship….but did he need to overturn this ship? The Flying Dutchman was designed to go between worlds; it simply submerged into the water when the sunset flipped the world upside-down. Would it be that difficult to escape Davy-Jones'…no…Will Turner's locker?

Will was still at the wheel, patiently steering the ship along to the other side. His face was not terribly animated, but amidst the careful nonchalance of his expression, it was easy to tell that he was trying to figure out something. He turned towards Barbossa, an inquisitive look in his eyes.

"What happened to you," the burning curiosity behind the question finally spilled out, "I thought you were planning on finding the Fountain of Youth?"

"Aye, so I was." Barbossa looked at the sky, a cloudless blue touched with pink as the sunset drew near. It was then that he noticed the ship tied to the Flying Dutchman. 'The Pearl survived' Barbossa thought to himself. Perhaps he could escape from here after all, all it would take was a bit of persuasive deceit and he would have Will crawling at his feet.

"It would seem though that I was sidetracked." Barbossa began his speech slowly.

"Sidetracked?"

"Yes, by a certain pirate named … Elizabeth Turner."

The lies came out naturally from a pirate's mouth when trying to avoid trouble. Every pirate knew that when trying to persuade another pirate, it was best to pick on their soft side. Will Turner had an undoubtable weakness when it came to his wife.

"Elizabeth," Will said softly, "How is she?"

"Not too well, not too well." Barbossa walked over to the Captain who now gripped the steering wheel tightly, tendons sticking out of their muscular hold, "I guess you wouldn't have heard eh? She's been as sick as a dog these past few weeks. Stunned me when she actually moved; she was so pale she looked like a corpse. Shame she can't get any medical assistance down there, especially when she's … er…"

"Pregnant." Will finished for him.

"Yes, of course." Barbossa smiled internally at this new levering tool he had just discovered. Will turned pale as beads of sweat broke out upon his forehead and he began to breathe faster than before.

"Elizabeth…the baby…" It was a soft moan this time spoken in the short timeslot between his vivid breaths. He slowly closed his eyes and attempted to calm himself before turning to face Barbossa again.

"Master Turner, don't give up with such ease." Barbossa got up and started walking around Will and the steering wheel. "If Elizabeth gets to a doctor within a week, I'm sure she won't …the baby won't pass away if she makes her way o'er to a doctor at Port Royal…"

Will's eyes were far away now, in pain as he took in what could be happening to his family. He saw Elizabeth was writhing in agony as black veins on her stomach grew, devouring her and the baby. She was screaming for him "Will! WILL!"… He was leant harder on the wheel, letting it hold all of his weight for fear that his legs might not hold.

"Die?" Will gasped, "She's sick enough that the baby might DIE! How is she going to get to a doctor when she has no ship?!"

Barbossa coughed to hide his laughter. He had never seen the usually confident and arrogant boy so weak before. So much for the _'Captain of the Flying Dutchman'_! At the moment, the title suited a squealing rat more than him.

The rest of Barbossa's Black Pearl crew began to stir from the noise. He had hardly noticed them sleeping down on the ship deck.

"There's still time," Barbossa touched Will's shoulder, "If we go to the island, I can get Elizabeth for you and we can sail her over to Tortug…Port Royal in the Pearl." Oh yes, and we'll also jump off the Flying Dutchman and sail away from you forever.

Will looked up, sudden determination in his eyes. He took the wheel.

"BRACE YOURSELVES!" he yelled, "PREPARE FOR SUBMERGION. We're going to see Elizabeth."

**please review!! **


	5. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Elizabeth**

An innocent bird pecked at the ground while the wind gently blew the dry grass, whistling like a tinkling melody. The peaceful sunlight followed the wind, gently touching the birds soft plumage. The waves foamed softly on the beach below beneath the headland, softly whooshing on the warm, yellow sand.

-SQWARK –

The bird's head was sliced off, the feathered body falling to the bloodied ground. Elizabeth Turner quickly wiped the sword on the ground and placed it back in her belt. While swiftly putting the bird in a bag woven from the grass, she noticed something else moving behind her.

"Well shoot me down," a voice gasped "You don't see that kind of savage behaviour from a governor's daughter, that's for sure."

"You don't know her Geoffrey." This voice was more familiar, "She's not your average wench, that's for sure." –noticing Elizabeth was staring at them- "Oh! Elizabeth, darling, what an absolute pleasure to see you."

She looked up to see Jack and another plump man standing behind him, appraising her with wide eyes. Jack wrinkled his nose.

"What on earth happened to you? You look awful love."

It was true; Elizabeth did look awful. Her clothes were soiled and torn, her hair mussed into a mop of mangled yarn. Even her beautiful face was dirty with streaks running down her cheeks where tears had washed away the grime. Tears of sadness, of loneliness.

There was however, one change that subtly grew more obvious as Jack took in her tattered form; she was pregnant. A huge bulge was now growing on her stomach like a blow-up beach ball, more apparent on Elizabeth's thin frame than it would have been on any other lady.

Jack swallowed and tried to smile, "So that explains the bird killing then. Hungry eh?"

"What?" Elizabeth held up the bird sheepishly, "I need to eat something."

"A whole bird? I suppose that would make sense though, with two mouths to feed." He gestured towards her stomach. Elizabeth smiled wryly.

"GUHH hm hm." Geoffrey cleared his throat. "Jack, are you going to ask her?"

"Well, I was getting to that Geoffrey." Jack huffed, mimicking his companion's annoyed expression by putting his hands on his hips and blowing up his cheeks, "Don't need to get too hasty!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Should have known; You'd only come here if you wanted something. How can I be of service Captain Jack Sparrow?"

Jack started slowly, calculating the best means of asking her in his head.

"Well…Elizabeth Turner, you know that one day you will eventually die, correct?" Jack raised an eyebrow, "Have you ever considered what is going to happen to your husband…when that day comes?"

"Will." She turned around, softly staring into the abyss of the horizon as her eyes began to glow with unearthed tears. A deep swelling inside began to unfold itself from where Elizabeth had so carefully stored it, unwilling to spend another week crying over something she could not change.

Jack noticed her brimming eyes and quickly changed tack.

"Don't worry love! The reason I came here is to offer you something that could let you spend more time with your lovely William." He couldn't stop the sarcasm leak into his voice at the last bit: sometimes it was hard to believe that such an unattainable, wanted lady had ended up with 'the whelp'.

She pursed her lips, swallowed and breathed in and out before turning to Jack.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You cannot help me, nor can you pretend to do so!"

"Actually, I can."

Suddenly, something clicked in Elizabeth's mind. She was whisked away to a time when they were marooned in World's End. Jack was working about the ancient map from Sao Feng, trying to work out how to get out.

"_Ah," Jack murmured, "The Aqua de Vida. Should I escape out of this hole, I'll make certain you're next on my list."_

"_What?" Elizabeth peered over his shoulder examining the queer etching on the weathered map, "The Aqua de Vida?"_

"_Forever drink thy water, forever live for leisure, forever sail, navis dominus." …_

Returning to reality, Elizabeth turned to Jack again.

"Aqua de Vida." She whispered.

"Forever drink they water, forever live for…Will, forever visit him and never die." Jack grinned, showing his gold capped teeth, "Would you like to accompany us on this trip most revered Pirate King?"

For the first time in months, Elizabeth smiled.

"I'm up for anything a pregnant woman can handle: Count me in."

_please review!! _


	6. Chapter 8

_Sorry that it has taken so long for me to update! I do have some good news though; the plot is finalised!! Therefore (those who know me personally will be stunned) I am actually going to finish this story. _

_And thank you to all my reviewers as well (especially Mocca who has been particularly dedicated) – you make my day! _

**Chapter 8: Defiance**

-SPLASH-

The Flying Dutchman appeared in a frothing blast of water. Will felt the wind on his face for the first time in weeks – he had forgotten the invigorating sensations of the real world. The sky was now light with the sunrise, dawning upon this world of the living – the world where he would find Elizabeth. A feeling of anticipation and dread filled him at her name. He anxiously began thinking about what state she would be in and whether the baby would survive.

Meanwhile, Barbossa was inconspicuously holding a meeting with his crew.

"How are we meant to get onto the Black Pearl without Turner catchin' us?" Gibbs whispered tentatively. "Do you have a plan Captain?"

Barbossa turned to face the island they were heading to.

"See that island over there – that's where Elizabeth is and that's where we're headin'. Now, I will provide a distraction by getting onto the island and all youse will jump onto the ship and head off to the other side of the island. You'll then pick me up and we'll ride away – the Pearl's faster than the Dutchman."

As the ship neared Elizabeth's island, Will's breathing began to accelerate.

_Elizabeth_. Will whispered her name like the believer whispers their God's name at a church. He could almost taste her scent wafting off the island. Driving the ship quicker, his eyes narrowed in intense concentration, desperate to have her safe in his arms once more.

"Mr Turner," Will called to his father, "Come quickly!"

Bootstrap Bill Turner came out from beneath the deck, followed swiftly by Barbossa. The boat was now at the island, but not close enough to swim.

"Father, take the row boat over to the island and bring Elizabeth back." his voice was nearly inaudible with stress and anxiousness.

"You'll need me to show you where her camp is." Barbossa interjected before Bootstrap could respond.

"Then you can both go. Just hurry!" Will really didn't care by this point – all he wanted was to see _her_.

Barbossa and Bootstrap rowed over to the island together, sitting in awkward silence together. As soon as they reached the island, Gibbs signalled to the rest of the crew aboard the Dutchman.

"Quick!" he whispered, "Get aboard!"

They all climbed across the ropes joining the two ships and went aboard the Black Pearl. Will turned around just as the last person was leaving the ship. Face aghast, Barbossa's scheme suddenly hit him smack-bang in the face. Elizabeth wasn't really sick, he was just using that as leverage to get out of World's End. He was so absorbed dreaming and worrying about Elizabeth that he hadn't realised what was happening. His brow then creased and turned to pure rage – he had been such an idiot! He would get Barbossa back for this.

"Cut the ropes!" Gibbs screamed as Will began running towards where the men were climbing aboard. Several screams were heard as several pirates still on the ropes fell into the water, but no-one really noticed.

The pearl raced away over to the other side of the island…

Meanwhile Jack, Geoffrey and Elizabeth were sailing off on the water, led by Jacks compass and going one mile and hour.

"We can't possibly go any faster can we?" Elizabeth sighed, exasperated.

"Just count sheep while your waiting and we'll be there momentarily." Jack answered simply.

Geoffrey had been noticing something peculiar about the difference in Jack's appearance. He squinted his eyes and looked at him – same ragged clothes, same unwashed, dreadlocked hair…wait - why could he see the top of Jack's head?

"Jack!" he gasped, "You left your hat on the island!"

Jack's reaction was equally shocked.

"Geoffrey!" he choked, "I left my hat on the island!"

"No kidding." Elizabeth rolled her eyes sarcastically. Jack changed tack suddenly and turned the boat around.

"Sorry folks, looks like we'll have to turn back."

Enfuriated, Elizabeth grabbed the sail and swung it back around before pushing the steering lever roughly so they were going in the original direction.

'There is NO WAY ON EARTH that we are going back." she growled, "I have already spent twelve _highly_ unpleasant hours of my life going one mile and hour on a dinghy the size of a baking tray. I do not plan on spending any more time going back a further 12 hours just to get someone's stupid _hat_."

Jack looked hurt. Geoffrey was stunned.

"I think it's the pregnancy – I heard it gives women mood swings." Geoffrey whispered as Elizabeth sat grudgingly on the other side of the ship, glaring. Jack just nodded. The trio spent the next few hours in silence as they floated slowly in the direction of Jack's compass.

No-one anticipated Jack ever seeing that hat again…_but they were wrong._

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	7. Chapter 9

Sorry for the delayed update (again). If you are still reading & reviewing; I LOVE YOU!! I'll do my best to reply to any reviews etc…Sorry if this chapter isn't very exciting though.

**Chapter 9: Abandonment and Separation**

The black pearl raced around the island to pick up Captain Barbossa from the other side of the island.

"Keep goin' faster boys!" Gibbs yelled over the splashing of sea-spray on the deck. The Flying Dutchman was right on their tail with an incredibly angry Will Turner at the wheel.

Meanwhile, Barbossa had knocked out Bootstrap with a blow to the head and was now running to the other side of the island. He could see the Pearl running in front of the Dutchman, coming over to rescue him. It was an easy finish – Turner had no chance of reaching the pearl at the speed it was going.

_But then the Dutchman submerged…_

Barbossa held his breath. There was no way to tell where beneath the water the ship lurked.

"Damn that measly Turner!" he growled, searching aimlessly for the Dutchman with his portable telescope.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Dutchman appeared mercilessly firing cannons at the Pearl.

_neoww…_ BOOOFF!

One of the cannon balls hit the deck.

"Abandon ship! RUN!" squealed Pintel.

Gibbs stopped him from jumping overboard and pushed him below deck.

"QUIT SCREAMIN' AND MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL!" he roared.

"Master Gibbs!" Ragetti stumbled as the pearl received another blow, "We're not going to reach Barbossa in time!"

"FORGET BARBOSSA! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Pintel's voice could be heard from beneath the deck.

Gibbs looked behind them; Turner would surely blow them to pieces if the stopped ashore to pick up Barbossa. He let out a resigned sigh before turning to the rest of the crew.

"Turn the ship! We're no longer headed for Captain Barbossa – run swiftly from the Dutchman!" Gibbs ordered before softly whispering, "I'm sorry Captain."

Barbossa watched as his ship turn away from him and sail away into the distance. His weathered brow creased and his bloodshot eyes narrowed.

_And yet he hadn't given up hope…yet._

"Barbossa, take a walk." Bootstrap held a blade at his throat and gestured for him to follow him back to the row boat, "No need for _parley_, you're already goin' to the Captain. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you."

**A few days later…**

"Master Gibbs, where should we make port? We're almost out of food."

"We'll go 'round to Tortuga." Gibbs sighed, "There everyone can go leave the Pearl and …disperse to do their own doings."

Gibbs felt strange – the Pearl had always been desired by multiple captains and had never been…_forsaken_ as such. Now the ship had no captain, no planning, no future. He couldn't captain it, he was just a simple sailor brought up in a family of 12 kids with no education. He couldn't read a map or navigate by the stars…only time could tell what would happen now. Maybe he could go back to the pig shack in Tortuga, assuming it wasn't occupied by another drunk now. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness tortured the sailor, loneliness.

"If only … Jack was here." he thought.

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